Origins of character names
The character names in the Dragon Ball universe are largely (though not entirely) puns and regular words, such as foods, vegetables, fruits and so on. Main races *Saiya-jin (Saiyan) - "saiya" is formed by rearranging the syllables of the Japanese word yasai which means "vegetable". *Tsufuru-jin (Tuffle) - "tsufuru" is formed by rearranging the syllables of the Japanese word furutsu which means "fruit". *Nameksei-jin (Namekian) - "namek" is a shortening of the Japanese word namekuji which means "slug". Saiya-jins Full-blood Saiyan names are all puns of various vegetable names. *Vegeta - shortening of "vegeta'ble" *Tarble - believed to be taken in English as 'Table', making this name another a pun on "vege'table". Actually, Vegeta and Tar'ble' together also form "vegetable". *Burdock (Bardock) - a pun on a Japanese root vegetable, "dock" *Kakarotto (Kakarot) - an interesting mutation of "carrot" *Nappa - Chinese term for greens in general, also for "cabbage" in particular *Raditz - derives from "radish" *Broli (Broly) - a pun on "broccoli" *Paragas (Paragus) - a loose translation of "asparagus" *Panbukin (Shugesh) - a pun on "pumpkin" *Seripa (Fasha) - formed by rearranging the letters in "parsley" *Tora (Toma) - a shortening of "tomato" *Totepo (Gordos) - a pun on "potato" *Tullece (Turles) - formed by rearranging the syllables in "lettuce" *Brocco - a pun on "broccoli", just like Broli's name *Pumpkin (Saegi) - a pun on "pumpkin", just like Panbukin's name *Zorn - a pun on "corn" Nameksei-jins *Piccolo Daimao (King Piccolo) **named after a musical instrument, "piccolo" which is a small flute **ironically, Piccolo Daimao can't stand high-pitched or whistling sounds, like all other Namekians **in Namekkugo, the Namekian language, piccolo means "another world" *Piccolo Jr. - same as above *Piano - named after a musical instrument *Tambourine - named after a musical instrument *Cymbal - named after a musical instrument *Drum - named after a musical instrument *Kami - kami means "god" in Japanese *Lord Slug - named after "slug" *Dende - derives from denden-mushi which is Japanese for "snail" *Cargo - a pun on the French word escargot which means "snail" *Nail - most probably a pun on "snail" (can also mean "nail", like 'hammer and nails') Earthlings *Son Goku **Kakarotto's new name, given by Grandpa Gohan **it is a translation of the Chinese name Sun Wukong, the protagonist of Journey to the West, meaning "Monkey King" **''ku'' is Japanese for "sky" *Son Gohan - Japanese for "rice" or dishes, foods in general *Son Goten - ten is Chinese for "sky" but also means heaven/afterlife in Japanese *Kinto'un (Flying Nimbus) - probably "candy cloud", kinto meaning "candy" and no'un'' meaning "cloud" *Chi-Chi - Japanese for "milk" and "father". Also a Japanese slang term for "breasts". *Muten Roshi/Kame-Sen'nin (Master Roshi/Turtle Hermit) **''kame'' means "turtle" **''sennin'' are ascetic Taoist hermits of legend who are said to have magical powers, animal familiars, and extraordinarily long life **thus Kame-Sen'nin literally means "Turtle Hermit" **''roshi'' is Japanese for the Chinese word laoshi which means "teacher" *Jackie Chun - Muten Roshi's alias, a pun on "Jackie Chan" *Yamucha (Yamcha) - "dim sum" in Chinese, a kind of appetiser, dumpling *Kuririn (Krillin) **''kuri'' or kurumi is Japanese for "chestnut". It's Toriyama's joke about his lack of hair. **''rin'' (lin) derives from shao'lin'' *Marron - french word for "chestnut" *Maron - probably the same as above *Tenshinhan (Tien Shinhan) - derives from the Chinese term Tien Chun Fan, meaning "fried rice" or some kind of rice meal *Chaozu (Chiaotzu) - Japanese translation of gyoza or jiaozi in Chinese, it means "sticker" or "dumpling" *Buruma (Bulma) - means "bloomers". Also Japanese for short gym shorts worn by girls. *Dr. Briefs - men's underwear *Trunks - boy's underwear, gym shorts, also known as boxers *Bra (Bulla) - women's bra *Pan **Pan's name is a double pun **it comes from the Pan of Roman mythology, but also means "bread" in Japanese and also in Spanish **her name continues both her father's food-based name and her mother's god-religion-based name *Mr. Satan (Hercule) - simply means satan, devil *Videl - formed by rearranging the letters in the word "devil" *Sharpener (Sharpner) - his name derives from a school accessory, "(pencil) sharpener" *Erasa - her name derives from a school accessory, "eraser" (rubber) *Lunch (Launch) - named after the word "lunch" * Others *Bubbles - most probably named after Michael Jackson's pet monkey *Olibu (Olive) - named afer "olives" *Paikuhan (Pikkon) - literally means "pork-rib rice" *Catapy - a pun on "caterpillar" *Arqua (Aqua) - named after aqua, "water" *Froug (Frog) - named after the word "frog" Garlic Jr.'s henchmen Spice Boys (Return my Gohan!!) Spice Boys (Garlic Jr. Saga) Freeza's henchmen Ginyu Toksentai (Ginyu Force) All members of the Ginyu Toksentai are named after dairy products. *Baata (Burter) - a pun on the word "butter" *Ginyu - Japanese for "milk" *Gurdo (Guldo) - a pun on the Japanese word yogurudo which means "yogurt" *Rekoom (Recoome) - Japanese for "cream" *Jees (Jeice) - a pun on the word "cheese" (could also be "juice", but wouldn't be a dairy product...) Turles' henchmen *Amond - a pun of "almonds" *Cacao - a pun of "cocoa" *Daiz - Japanese for "soya bean" *Lakasei - unknown *Rasin - a pun of "raisins" Category:Dragon Ball Category:Dragon Ball Z